By Lucy Bealham

REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST (SATURDAY)

St Austell 47 Launceston 21

THE All Blacks were beaten by their Cornish rivals for the second time this season as the hosts mounted a fine comeback to run out deserved 47-21 winners at Tregorrick Park.

It was a game of two very different halves, the fourth-placed CABs were powerful, creative and threatening every time they played phases and kept the ball in the opening 40.

However, St Austell controlled the second stanza with their own sustained pressure and capitalised on the loss of Tom Sandercock and James Tucker to injuries, either side of the half-time whistle, to moved to within a point of their neighbours.

In front of a large crowd, the visitors started well and scored after seven minutes via No.8 Brandon Rowley which was added to by George Hillson.

Five minutes later the hosts responded as hooker Pete Harris went over in the corner. Matt Shepherd missed his only kick out of seven (5-7).

Both teams were fairly equal in strength, neither one dominating the scrums and both played hard with quick phases of play.

Hillson went on to score a try after he slipped through St Austell’s defence and he converted it, increasing the lead to 14-5.

Tighthead-prop Matt Boothby got the Saints second on 21 minutes which was added to by Shepherd as the tries kept coming.

St Austell passed the ball wide and found a gap in Launceston’s defence and ran half the length of the pitch. A great chase down from outside-centre James Tucker saw him tackle winger Dan Tyrrell with the try line in sight.

Home No.8 Adam Powell was sin-binned on the half hour and the CABs took advantage of the extra man as Tucker wriggled around the defender to score a try next to the posts and Hillson converted it, extending the lead to 21-12.

Once again, the CABs didn't effectively manage the kick-off receipt plays and gave St Austell the chance to put pressure on, and with a few minutes left Tyrell scored for 21-19.

To make matters worse, Launceston captain and fly-half Tom Sandercock suffered a knee injury and was replaced by Jamie Chapman.

With a strong breeze behind them the Blacks were favourites but failed to match a superb home response.

On 54 minutes home player/coach Matt Shepherd took advantage of a missed tackle and scored a try which he converted himself (26-21).

James Tucker was sin-binned for not releasing a tackled player and never returned with a series of painful knocks to his nose.

A scrum close to the CABs try-line gave the Saints possession and inside-centre Sam Parsons crossed, increasing their lead to 33-21.

Replacement Hector Bright was next to score for the hosts as he exploited a gap down the right-hand side of the Blacks defence and touched the ball down. Shepherd made it 40-21.

The final try came after a lineout turned into a maul which the Saints pushed over the line via Boothby as it finished 47-21.

LAUNCESTON: Ollie Bebbington, Zerran Hammond, James Tucker, Cam Fogden, Billy Martin, Tom Sandercock (capt), George Hillson; Mitch Hawken, Levent Bulut, Charlie Short, Dan Goldsmith, Alex Bartlett, Tom Bottoms, Pete Bebbington, Brandon Rowley. Replacements: Tom Walton, Jamie Chapman, Dom Ellery.

Tries: Rowley, Hillson, Tucker; Convs: Hillson (2); Pens: N/A.

Launceston man-of-the-match: Brandon Rowley.